I plan to read all of Dr. Wayne Dyer‘s books and quote my favourite parts below. I’ve realised some of the 41 books shown on his website include anthologies or re-editions, so I’m aiming to read the 34 listed on Wikipedia including the children’s books.

NB: I stopped this project when I left Saudi, having only read ten of the books! This was the last one:

So it’s been a while since I finished reading this book and I can’t remember a thing. I’ll make do with copying the quotes I highlighted:

Dyer said he told his friends he was planning to write a book about taming the ego, getting in touch with the spiritual side of ourselves and allowing that element of our humanity to rule. His friend said, ‘Well then, you’ll be writing about freedom.’ And recommended the book Being-in-Dreaming by Florinda Donner.

He also recommends Quantum Consciousness by Stephen Wolinsky.

“The inner experience of keeping your higher self focused on the object of your desire is the creation process for your life. Or, as Gary Zukav described it in The Dancing Wu Li Masters, ‘What is our there apparently depends, in a rigorous mathematical sense, as well as a philosophical one, upon what we decide in here. The new physics tells us that an observer cannot observe without altering what he sees.”

Suggestions for meeting the challenge of freedom:

• Each day make an attempt to serve others in some small way and do not tell anyone.
• Practice making meaningful coincidences.
•  Keep yourself appraised of the inner world where you do all your living.
• Have conversations with God in private and important moments.
• Take time to appreciate beauty.
• Attempt to remove all enemies from your thoughts.
• Think of yourself as limitless as you make a new agreement with reality.
• Surrender.
• Dream Awake!
• Give yourself time each day for silence.
• Imagine a spiritual solution to your problem.
• Lighten your load beginning today.
• Work at being content with who you are rather than pleasing others by being inauthentic.
• Direct your attention to what pleases you.
• Judge not.

“Permitting doubt is the same as having a traitor at the helm of your life. Doubt is a traitor because it uses limitations and shortcomings to influence the course of your life.”

“Detach from exclusive emphasis on your physical surroundings and your own body, and be on the lookout for what fate is conspiring to hand you. With this attitude you will have faith even when these obstacles seem insurmountable or overwhelming.”

Nisargadatta wrote: “Don’t disturb your mind with seeking… Mind is interested in what happens, while awareness is interested in the mind itself.”

“The practice of recapitulation is recapturing energy. It gives you a much clearer picture of the need for everything that happens in your life to have transpired precisely as it did. Recapitulation shatters the belief that energy once spent is lost.”

Read Taisha Abelar’s The Sorcerer’s Crossing for a detailed description.

“Today we will have essentially the same sixty thousand thoughts that we had yesterday and the day before that.”

“Joy is a particularly noteworthy feature of the sacred quest because its presence confirms that you have found your path.”

“Ego is ready to be offended. Whenever you are offended, you are at the mercy of your ego. Setting up external rules of how you are to be treated is a way of guaranteeing a terminal state of being offended. It is the ego’s way.”

Nisargadatta again: “Resist old habits of feeling and thinking; keep telling yourself ‘No, not so, it cannot be so; I am not like this, I do not need it, I don’t want it,’ and a day will surely come when the entire structure of error and despair will collapse and the ground will be free for a new life.”

“Begin to understand that the ego belief system is similar to your nighttime dreams, where you believe the dream is real while you are dreaming and on awakening see the illusion. All life is a projection of your mind – it is a dream within a dream.”

“Heaven on earth begins happening when you abandon the false idea that you need to prove to anyone that you have acquired the necessary credentials to be considered a success.”

“Acceptance does not imply endorsement. It merely refers to a state of mind that allows you to be peaceful and know the difference between things you can help to eradicate and things that simply just are the way they are.”

“To be in a state of bewilderment, stop and behold the wonder of you. Allow yourself to enjoy the bewilderment and awe of who and what you are. There is the miraculous machine that houses you, and there is the incomprehensible mystery of the ghost in the machine that is your mind and soul, observing all.”

“Practice active listening. Try to hear the emotions within the content of a person’s conversation. Remove your defensiveness or need to fix or explain.”

“Make a rule that you will never correct someone in front of others. No one appreciates being publicly corrected.”

… TBC

This is an extensive book broken down into themes and steps to aid you in overcoming old, useless thought patterns and behaviours that are holding you back from leading the ideal life: healthy, creative, fulfilling, productive, or whatever it is aspire you to be and do. It can be applied to both professional and personal contexts.

A founding principle:

Remind yourself that you attract what you are, not what you want; and what you are is your beliefs, not your cells. As the Biology of Belief establishes, your mental activity is strong enough to overcome material particles and the influences of early conditioning and programming that you unwittingly adopted in your formative years.

Nowadays people think a meme is a picture with a funny caption, seemingly created for the sole purpose of posting on Facebook.

But Dyer cites another expert, Richard Brodie, who wrote in his work Virus of the Mind: A meme is a “thought, belief or attitude in your mind that can spread to and from other people’s minds.” So if the content of the meme is positive, this could be a good thing, but if it’s negative, it’s akin to the black plague. Except you won’t die, you’ll just be held back by untrue, pessimistic trains of thought.

Apparently the word meme was coined by Richard Dawkins in The Selfish Gene.

All of this academia is intended to convince us that WE CAN CHANGE.

Dyer writes: “Memes are thoughts that you allow to become your master – and make no mistake about it, every excuse you’ve ever used is really a meme disguised as an explanation. Yet you can deprogram yourself from these mind viruses.”

“The problem with creative consciousness is that its constant shifts and changes overwhelm/flood you. It’s often referred to as “the monkey mind” because it keeps flitting about almost continuously, first having one thought, then another, and then still another.”

“If no-one told me who I was, who would I be?”

“Give yourself the gift of hearing thoughts from a time before conditioning was deeply embedded.”

“Breathing in, I calm my body. Breathing out, I smile.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

“Thinking without awareness of the main dilemma of human existence.” – Eckhart Tolle

“Letting the Divine grow within you involves sincerity, service to others, kindness, and reverence for all of life.”

“Relinquish the notion that you are separated from the all-knowing mind of the universe. Then you can recover your original pure insight and see through all illusions.” – Lao Tzu

Dyer asks us to consider the following:

• Your universal Source of being never thinks in terms of what is missing. Do you?
• It never thinks in terms of what it can’t have or do. Do you?
• It never thinks in terms of what has never happened before. Do you?
• It never thinks in terms of what others will think, say, or do. Do you?
• It never thinks in terms of bad luck or the way things have always been. Do you?

“Since everything comes in response to the vibration of energy, shift out of the lowered vibrations and into the vibration of Source.”

“No-one else can do this realignment exercise for you. You must decide to stay in the feeling of love, prosperity, wellness, or whatever you desire, and let that feeling just flow through you.”

“Remember you get what think about, whether you want it or not.”

“So if you’re always thinking or talking about what’s wrong with your life, then you’re attracting exactly what you don’t desire. Choosing an Excuses Begone! approach means you absolutely refuse to participate in the self-defeating rhythm that I just touched on. You learn to move into a new realm where your thoughts are viewed as potential realities, and it’s your sacred duty to contemplate only that which originated from your authentic self.”

“Whatever the conditions of your life, ask yourself if you’re willing to take sole and total responsibility for them.”

Abraham Maslow on self-actualizing people: “They must be what they can be.”  To which Dyer says: “Take a moment now to think about what you can be, and contrast that with what you’ve chosen to be up until now.”

“By believing passionately in something that does not yet exist, we create it. The nonexistent is whatever we have not sufficiently desired.” – Kazantzakis 

Dyer then analyses the language we use and choices we can make regarding a series of common excuses. EG:

• It will be difficult:

“Keep in mind that all of the seemingly impossible happenings that occur under the guise of what Carl Jung called “synchronicity” do so with a kind of ease and an inexplicably bizarre twist of fate, in which little or no effort is expended.

“This happens to us quite frequently, particularly when we’re more aligned with Spirit than the material world. There seems to be a collaboration with destiny, and a magical connection takes place making what was perceived to be hard rather easy.

“When there’s a choice, the notion that something is possible or easy is hands down more inviting than the one that insists it’s impossible or difficult. So which thought do you wish to hold?”

• I can’t afford it:

“Loving what you have and being in a continuous state of contentment is the key to having what you want.

“Be willing to contemplate that whatever assistance you need is on its way, even when you can’t predict where it’s coming from. Since this is a universe of of unlimited abundance, why have thoughts contrary to that truth?

“This doesn’t mean that I simply open the windows and money flies in; rather, it allows me to act on thoughts that have no room for scarcity. I refuse to believe that money is a reason not to do anything.

“The point is that making the choice to take advantage of thinking I CAN afford it allows the following two things to happen: (1) universal cooperation is activated by aligning with a universe that has no limits or shortages. (2) you begin to act on what you’re thinking about.” 

Since neither your old excuse nor your new belief can be 100 percent guaranteed, and you’re free to hold either of these two visions for yourself, why not select the one that will work for the highest aspirations you hold, rather than against them?

Symptoms of the Excuse bug include:

• frequent episodes of blame and fault finding
• shame that sneakily attacks you
• anger at yourself and others, which erupts at the tiniest irritation
• envy that breaks out when you compare yourself to others
• laziness, inactivity, complaining

Four Criterion for determining if you will be able to change your old patterns:

• It must make sense
• It must be do-able
• It must allow you to feel good
• It must be aligned with the callings of your soul

Habits Dyer has freed himself from:

• drinking diet sodas
• eating greasy foods
• not exercising
• procrastinating on deadlines
• always being rushed
• speaking out and talking over others rather than listening
• not taking health supplements
• being right rather than kind

BUT “to see the whole habits fall away and access Divine guidance in making your life work at the highest levels of happiness, success, and health, you must forget about what’s in it for you.

“Make truth your most important attribute. Walk your talk; that is, become sincere and honest in all that you say and do.”

“Look very closely at your relationships and find out how much of your energy is directed toward dominating and controlling, rather than accepting and allowing… The more kindness and sensitivity you extend to everyone in your life, the less likely you are to blame others for not living up to your expectations.”

“Stop identifying yourself on the basis of what you have, whom you’re superior to, what position you’ve attained, and how others view you. See yourself as a piece of God, willing to act as close to that consciousness as possible.”

“As Krishna tells Arjuna, your mind can be trained if you know that you and your Source cannot be separated.”

“Instead of reacting, you’re now going to respond with conscious choices.”

This book covers a lot of ground: not only is it a toolkit for pursuing your creative calling, but it mentions metaphysical/spiritual concepts such as the idea that we choose our parents; the planet exists as vehicle for Source [God] to express its intentions; and particles do not beget more particles – particles pop out of an energy field.

Dyer paints a lovely metaphor: an acorn will always, only become an oak tree. There is no other path available. Similarly, in our nine months in the womb, we accept that the blueprint for our body is made – but Dyer suggests our whole life is in some ways mapped out for us. The key is to stay positive and allow it to unfold as nature intended. Our ego and poor decision making can and will trump a gentle destiny.

The following are some of my highlights:

“If motivation is grabbing an idea and carrying it through to an acceptable conclusion, then inspiration is the reverse. When we’re in the grip of inspiration, an idea has taken hold of us from the invisible reality of Spirit.”

“Being inspire necessitates the willingness to suspend ego and enter a space where I want to share who I am and what I have in completely unlimited fashion.”

“It’s imperative for all who seek an inspired life to assess the direction of their thoughts and behaviours in terms of going toward, or away from, Spirit.”

Six important principles:

• Be independent of the good opinion of others.
• Be willing to accept the disapproval of others.
• Stay detached from outcomes.
• Know that we need nothing/No Things to be inspired.
• Don’t die wondering.
• Remember that our desires won’t arrive by schedule.

“Whenever a thought of ordinariness pops into your mind, put the brakes on immediately and affirm something like: I’m a Divine being, a distinct portion of the essence of God.”

Tools to simplify your life:

• Unclutter
• Clear your calendar
• Keep your freetime FREE
• Take time for meditation and yoga
• Return to the simplicity of nature
• Put distance between you and your critics
• Take some time for your health
• Play, play, play!
• Slow down
• Do everything you can to eschew debt
• Forget about the cash value
• Remember your spirit

“We don’t want to ask the Universe to be different so we can feel better, but we can choose to feel better by shifting our expectations so that we’re vibrating with the universe.”

Dyer quotes Epictetus, from 2000 years ago, in regards to the idea that we cannot predict or control life, but we can determine our response and attitude towards it:

“It is my business to manage carefully and dexterously whatever happens.” -Epictetus

Ideas to help you give and receive inspiration:

• Work on becoming more peaceful, and start noticing how you’re perceived by others.
• Actively work at reducing your inclinations to interrupt others with an I reference in conversations.
• Before speaking, consult your inner “truth barometer”.
• Carry yourself proudly and show your enthusiasm in all of your waking hours.Never elect apathy or ennui.
• Practice being generous.

Dyer quotes the Bible: “Be still and know that I am God.” He then rephrases it: “Be agitated and turbulent and you will never know God.”

We must accept our existence to the greatest extent possible; everything , the unprecedented also, needs to be accepted. That is basically the only case of courage required of us: to be courageous in the face of the strangest, the most whimsical and unexplainable things that we could encounter.” – Rainer Maria Rilke

“Whenever you seem to be receiving an unexpected jolt from the Universe, make every effort to note precisely what it was that you were thinking at the moment you took in the message. That bird that touches you, that leaf that blows into your face, that toe you stub for the third time – anything at all – note your thoughts at the moment and see if you can detect any connection to what has just happened. Your thoughts are energy, and Spirit communicates by aligning Itself with you by getting your attention, and allowing you to then move on it or ignore it.”

“I know that the answer to What should I be doing? is to see the word yes on my inner screen. Yes, I am listening. Yes, I am paying attention. Yes, I am willing.” 

The Power of Intention, Hay House, 2005.

This elaborate book could serve as both an introduction and a masterclass. My review is a hodgepodge of quotes and my own paraphrasing. Sometimes the quotes are in a different order to what they appear in the book.

Intention is the term Dyer uses to describe the field of energy out of which all life springs. It has many other names, including The Source and God (though people who envision a bearded man on a throne will beg to differ).

We know from physics that particles do not beget more particles. Under the right conditions, they seem to pop out of thin air. In fact they pop out of this energy field – and so do people.

This energy is what allows the planets to turn, the moon to pull the tides, the animals to migrate, a caterpillar to turn into a butterfly, and an acorn to grow into a tree.

“Some researchers believe that our intelligence, creativity, and imagination interact with the energy field of intention rather than being thoughts or elements in our brain.”

The theory is, we can align with the power of Intention to create the life we were born to lead. How will we know if we are on the right path? Start by asking yourself: What would I do if I wasn’t afraid? Then take steps in that direction. It should feel good. Fortuitous people and opportunities should start popping up – out of that same thin air. Bearing this in mind:

• When you meet anyone, treat the event as a holy encounter.
• Treat yourself as if you already are what you’d like to become.

Most importantly, you’ll be guided by emotions and instincts that match up with the “Seven Faces of Intention”: creativity, kindness, love, beauty, expansion, abundance and receptivity.

Next, Dyer outlines obstacles to achieving your life mission, or allowing your dreams to come true. The biggest block is negative thinking. As Max Planck said: “The mind is the matrix of all matter.”

Your ego runs most of the chatter in your mind and it operates from Fear. It regrets the past and worries about the future, clouding the present. Your spirit (or internal life force) operates from Love (or a sense of the inseverable bond between all living things).

One of my favourite masters Sri Chinmoy says:

“Each human being lives between his life’s tragedy tears and his soul’s comedy-smiles.”

For the spirit there is always an ample amount of everything: time, money, love, people, opportunity, potential… If you can believe that everything you desire is already out there, waiting for you to allow it to enter your life, you’ll be most of the way over the mountain.

And remember, there is not less for others because you get yours. Don’t feel guilty. Wish the same for others as you wish for yourself. Dyer gives specific examples of thoughts you may have that are not a match for achieving your purpose.

This process of dis-identifying with your ego and re-identifying with your spirit will require: Discipline, Wisdom, Love, and Surrender.

“Right now, look around you and select beauty as your focus. This is so different from habitually being alert to feel hurt, angry or offended.”

The next big obstacle is your energy. The Spirit operates on a high frequency and if you’re in tune with it, life flows easily. The Ego operates on a low frequency and makes life a struggle. You must be a match for that which you seek attract.

Dyer names several areas to work on, from your physical health to the content of the media you consume. Of course, you can exercise your right to make choices that leave you feeling stressed, depressed, weary, remorseful and stuck. But “by combining free will with Intention, you harmonize with the universal mind.”

Once your life is in order, you can start spreading the love. Dyer cites research that showed a single finely-attuned person can counterbalance the low vibrations of countless others. Think of a small candle in a large room: it swallows the dark!

Another obstacle to living your best life is a high degree of self-importance. We must not take ourselves so seriously! As Dyer says:”If you don’t have a story, you don’t have to live up to it.”

Yet we should never sacrifice self-respect.

“It’s important that you recognise that your entire worldview is based on how much respect you have for yourself. Believe in infinite possibilities and you cast a vote for your own possibilities.”

In other words, If you disrespect yourself, you disrespect Intention (or the Source, the universe, or God: whichever term you prefer).

Dyer then lists steps to optimising each of the following areas: self-respect, purpose, authentic and peaceful relationships with family, success and abundance, tranquility, ideal people and divine relationships, health, and your own genius.

People have a tendency to sweat the details but Dyer says: “Stay on purpose by expressing the Seven Faces of Intention, and the details will find you.”

“Speak to strangers with passion in your voice. Answer the phone in a inspired way. Do a job interview from the place of confidence and joy. Read the books that mysteriously show up, and pay close attention to conversations that seem to indicate you’re being called to something new.”

Finally, he paints a portrait of people who are connected to the Power of Intention, whom he calls Connectors.

“Connectors simply don’t allow their well-being to be contingent on anything external to themselves – not the weather, not the wars, not the political landscape, not the economy, and certainly not anyone else’s decision to be low energy.”

However, at this point I would like to mention my own recent experience. I have been exceedingly annoyed by the behaviour of a roommate and I told my mother how I was doubly annoyed because I felt that with reading all these books and meditating on these truths, I should be able to feel peace and love toward the roommate and not get upset. My mum then directed me to this quote:

”Spiritual people can be some of the most violent people you will ever meet. Mostly, they are violent to themselves. They violently try to control their minds, their emotions, and their bodies. They become upset with themselves and beat themselves up for not rising up to the conditioned mind’s idea of what it believes enlightenment to be. No one ever became free through such violence.

“Why is it that so few people are truly free? Because they try to conform to ideas, concepts, and beliefs in their heads. They try to concentrate their way to heaven. But freedom is about the natural state, the spontaneous and un-self-conscious expression of beingness. If you want to find it, see that the very idea of “a someone who is in control” is a concept created by the mind. Take one step backward into the unknown.” – Adyashanti 

Getting in the Gap, Hay House, 2003 (republished as a paperback in 2014).

The Gap is the space between your thoughts, where you can connect to reality as it may be experienced by an animal – unencumbered by the worrying, scheming ego that dominates your mind.

Meditation is the practise of sitting still and allowing your mind to come to a rest: the more you do it, the better you’ll get. In the meantime, if your head is full of thoughts, you’re encouraged to let them go – like leaves on a river, or clouds in the sky – rather than becoming emotionally affected.

Unlike some meditation experts, Dyer doesn’t believe you need to meditate at a particular time, in a particular place, for a particular period. He says it can be done anywhere – even for two minutes at traffic lights. His own practise consists of two 20-minute sessions per day.

I was raised in a New Age/spiritual environment where all kinds of meditation and drumming and dancing was the norm, yet it was not something I really embraced. I did start yoga a few years ago and that helped my body with its aches and pains, and was also good to centre the mind.

Then during a bout of back trouble I decided to take Sri Chinmoy‘s free meditation classes: two sessions a week for three weeks. When I first began I could not sit still. We had the choice to sit on a chair, kneel or sit cross-legged on the floor and I would move uncomfortably between them, my upper body burning.

The sessions involved silence, spoken words, music, soothing noises, staring at photographs, candles or flowers – and chanting. By the end I could sit still for the whole session.

One chant I recall was “shanti”, which means “peace”. Apparently Sri Chinmoy also liked to chant “supreme”. But the most famous is “Aum”.

Dyer points out that many names for God include the sound “ah” – Allah, Jehovah, Krishna… and in the American accent, maybe “God” does too. A kind of “Gahd”. So does “Shanti” and “Sahpreme”.

I always thought Aum was pronounced “Omm” but Dyer recommends a long “Ahhhhhh” that trails into a soft “m”.

What is the point of all this, you might ask? Chanting the Sound of God “Ah” is a practice called “Japa Meditation” which has been recommended by gurus through the ages. “Ah” or “Aum” is the most comfortable sound to make when you have your jaw relaxed, tongue resting below your top teeth.

And chanting it could change your life!

In Getting in the Gap, Dyer includes testimonials from people who tried the technique and experienced shifts in their lives in a short time. Opportunities sprung up. Attitudes brightened. Dreams were fulfilled. As he says:

“The paramount reason for making meditation a part of our daily life is to join forces with our sacred energy and regain the power of our source.”

The gap is “where we create, manifest, heal, live, and perform at a miraculous level.”

But, he cautions, “your job is not to say how or when but to say yes. After yes become the observer and give thanks for everything.”

If you’re sceptical, Dyer cites a scientific analogy for this process of manifesting something from nothing: “Quantum physics states that particles themselves do not create more particles. What is needed is that invisible energy, the source of life.”

Check out the excellent documentary Particle Fever for more proof in the form of the Hadron Collider. Since filming, they started the collider again and discovered new particles called pentaquarks!

I certainly plan to try Japa and you can too. There’s a free audio download when you buy the book, or find a link on YouTube. Dyer was famous for allowing recordings of his talks and would often give books to people who couldn’t afford them – so I’m sure he won’t mind.

Everyday Wisdom for Success, Hay House, 2006.

This is a short book of quotes and I’m assuming the paperback comes beautifully illustrated; I read it on Kindle so the quotes floated on a black screen.

I’ll get more creative in my next review because this is my third list of favourite lines:

“Failure is a judgment, an opinion. It stems from your fears, which can be eliminated by love…”

“Give thanks for everything that you are and everything that you have – that’s the first step toward discarding a scarcity mentality.”

“You can re-shape your thinking so that you never have to think in negatives again. You and only you can choose your thoughts.”

“Being relaxed, at peace with yourself, confident, emotionally neutral, loose, and free-floating – these are the keys to successful performance in almost everything you do.”

“Radiate an energy of serenity and peace so that you have an uplifting effect on those you come into contact with.”

“Successful people learn to think from the end – that is, they experience what they wish to intend before it shows up in material form.”

“Networking can never fail. It’s so powerful because you just keep creating more power sources. It’s like geometric progression.”

“When an idea’s time has come, it can’t be stopped. And the reverse is true: An idea whose time hasn’t come can’t be created.”

“The two most unnecessary emotions in life are guilt and worry.”

Being in Balance: 9 Principles for Creating Habits to Match Your Desires, Hay House, 2007.

The central tenet of this book is that our life needs to be aligned with our personal ideals. In each chapter Dyer cites specific emotional, physical and behavioural indications that we are out of balance and ought to make some changes – to our thinking.

I love the opening quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Want is a growing giant whom the coat of Have was never large enough to cover…”

The nine principles are: dreams Vs habits, achievement and performance, self concept Vs projection, addictions, diet and exercise, prosperity Vs scarcity, responding to evil, love, and spirituality Vs materialism.

Some favourite lines: 

“You can feel the longing to be what you’re intended to be. You sense that there’s a higher agenda; your way of life and your reason for life are out of balance. Until you pay attention, this subtle visitor will continue to prod you.”

“You’re easily agitated, picking on others for no apparent reason. If you’re able to be honest with yourself, you recognize that your irritability stems from being out of balance with the bigger dream you’ve always had, but which is now slipping away.”

“Thoughts are mental energy; they’re the currency that you have to attract what you desire. You must learn to stop spending that currency on thoughts you don’t want.”

“Co-creation is cooperatively using the energy from the invisible field of spirit. It is perfectly balancing your in-the-world calling with the pure energy of creation.”

Your dreams can’t manifest “if you’re in a state of imbalance, complaining, living in fear, or expecting the worst.”

“You become what you think about all day long. You also become how you think all day long.”

“Peace isn’t something that you ultimately receive when you slow down the pace of your life. Peace is what you’re capable of being and bringing to every encounter and event in the waking moments of your life.”

“In fact, this state causes pheromones of measurable energy to emanate from you.”

“You need to make a decision to realign yourself on an energetic basis to get the scales balanced between your idealized self and your realized self, as perceived by the majority of people in your life.”

“If you truly are a loving being, the world will look like a loving place to you, and this will be how you’re perceived.”

“You may indeed exemplify kindness in how you treat your children and your grandmother, and even all of the children and all of the grandmothers of the world. But if you honk your horn in red-faced anger at a slowdriving grandmother who’s taking her grandchildren to school, then you’re way, way, way out of balance.”

From Henry W. Longfellow: “He that respects himself is safe from others; he wears a coat of mail that none can pierce.”

From Deepak Chopra: “Your brain produces a chemical that relays the news of your happiness to all 52 million of your body cells – who rejoice and join in.”

“So picture yourself as you’re about to enjoy a hot-fudge sundae or a piece of birthday cake: Are you happy, or are you filled with guilt and apprehension before you take your first bite?”

“if you think scarcity, you’ll create scarcity. If you talk to others about your lack, you’ll just attract more lack. If you analyze your shortages, then more shortages will appear!”

“Replace these thoughts with new energies that match up more harmoniously with the truth of the world you live in.”

“The secret to rebalancing life is not necessarily to change your behavior as much as it is to realign yourself and create a culture that supersedes the cycles of battle and retreat.”

“What if, in response to suicide bombers, we tended the injured and grieved the dead, but didn’t publicize the tragedy with news reports? … What if we chose to respect the pain of the relatives and survivors by not commercializing pictures of their grief? The people who perpetrate these incidents are acting out of their own thoughts of hatred, hoping that others will respond in kind.”

“Peace demands heroic thinking and a purity of conscience.”

From the Dalai Lama: “Compassion and love are not mere luxuries. As the source of both inner and outer peace, they are fundamental to the continued survival of our species.”

“You soon realise that searching outside of yourself for what you already are is the ultimate folly.”

“It’s been said that the difference between all of us living at ordinary levels of human consciousness and those we call saints is that they never forget God even for a single moment. They’re cheerful when life is difficult, patient when others are impatient, and loving when others respond with hatred.”

“Ordinary people have a container out of which they pluck loving thoughts in certain circumstances. The saint has an internal vessel that contains nothing else, out of which and into which love flows freely.”

From a child: “Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.”

“A devastating aspect of spiritual/material imbalance is the amount of time and mental energy spent on monetary considerations. Money becomes the single most important standard for evaluating everything, including your happiness, inner peace, and feelings about your value as a human being.”

“Your inner world is crammed with thoughts of costs and cash value… where appearance, performance, and acquisitions are all that you notice. This consciousness prevents you recognising that right here, right now, wherever you reside is crammed with Heaven.”

“Every time you think you’ve arrived, whether it be physical appearances or loads of money, something will change… you will always revert to some form of striving, uncertainty and anxiety.”

“I personally… look upon my world as if I were observing it through lenses that filter out the form and all of the material aspects of what I’m seeing, and I can only view the spiritual energy that allows what I’m noticing to exist.”

Dyer’s payback for being more balanced spiritually and physically:

• Gives me the opportunity to be in a continual state of gratitude and awe.
• I see miracles everywhere.
• I take myself less seriously.
• I feel intimately connected to others.
• I have less stress in my life.  
• I feel less pressured to fit in, or to accomplish more.
• I perform at a higher level because spirit flows unimpeded through me.

From Sogyal Rinpoche: “Two people have been living in you all of your life. One is the ego: garrulous, demanding, hysterical, calculating; the other is the hidden spiritual being, whose still voice of wisdom you have only rarely heard or attended to…”

Change Your Thoughts – Change Your Life, Hay House, 2007.

There are 81 verses to Lao Tzu‘s Tao Te Ching and in this book Dr. Wayne Dyer meditates on each one with an essay that draws on other people’s interpretations and insights, as well as his own experience.

Everyone might not enjoy reading the book cover to cover like I did but it would go well on a bedside or coffee table to be picked up and browsed.

A stand out idea for me was that of allowing rather than trying. If we operate from the viewpoint that inside us we all have a natural tendency to be gracious and calm and kind – whatever virtue you think you might lack – then really we just need to brush our ego/personality aside to allow our goodness to come out. That is, we don’t need to look outside ourselves for lessons on how to acquire it.

This is relevant for me as I’m currently teaching English to rowdy, unruly Saudi young women and it’s a daily struggle to get them to be quiet enough to listen to instructions and complete the tasks. I kept saying: But I’m trying so hard to do the right thing! I’m trying my very best! 

Lately I’ve stopped trying to be patient and calm, and realised I am that way anyway. The circumstances still sometimes force my hand but the balance has tipped so that I’m peaceful in the classroom more than not.

This principle of allowing can apply to anything you’re fighting for. Your effort and thoughts about not having it – virtues, money, love, whatever – may be the thing that is blocking it from flowing to, or through, you.

An image I like (not from Dyer but another sage I can’t remember) is that of a cork in the ocean: the cork’s nature is to float just as ours is to succeed. It takes more effort to stay under the water drowning that it does to allow yourself to rise and breathe.

A second key idea from Dyer’s Tao book also involves the ocean. We’re all taught that humility is a virtue: if you rise to the top, you should be friendly on the way because you never know who you’ll meet on the way down, etc. But it’s even simpler to picture the mighty ocean gaining its power by remaining low in the world and allowing all the rivers and streams to flow down to it.

Now my many favourite quotes:

Dyer: “Be a good animal and move freely, unencumbered with thoughts about where you should be and how you should be acting.”

Dyer: “Inventory your desires and then turn them over to the unnameable.”

Dyer: “In a social gathering or business meeting, choose to seek the emptiness found in silence in order to be aware of your infinite self. Invite it to let you know when or whether to respond.”

Poet Hafiz: “Everyone is God speaking. Why not be polite and Listen to Him?”

Lao Tzu: “To keep on filling is not as good as stopping.”

Lao Tzu: “He who keeps the Tao does not want to be full. But precisely because he is never full, he can remain like a hidden sprout and does not rush to early ripening.”

Dyer: “Stay in a creative, simple state, which Lao Tzu describes as ‘uncarved wood,’ symbolizing beginner’s mind and unlimited potential.”

Dyer: “I’ve always believed that parents are not for leaning upon, but rather exist to make leaning unnecessary.”

Dyer: “Don’t act virtuous; be virtue.”

Lao Tzu: “While others rush to get things done, I accept what is offered.”

Dyer: “You’ve traded in striving for arriving.”

Dyer: “If you have truly attained wholeness, everything will flock to you.”

Dyer: “When you suspend your pomposity and rigidity, others recognise themselves in your flexible nature, and they’ll trust you.”

Lao Tzu: “The still is the master of unrest.”

Dyer: “You have a choice in every moment, so you can decide to be a host to God and carry around the calmness that is the Tao, or you can be a hostage to your ego, which insists that you can’t really help feeling disorderly when you’re in circumstances that resemble pandemonium.”

Lao Tzu’s 27th verse:

A knower of the truth travels without leaving a trace,

speaks without causing harm,  gives without keeping an account.

The door he shuts, though having no lock, cannot be opened.

The knot he ties, though using no cord, cannot be undone.

Be wise and help all things impartially, abandoning none.

Waste no opportunities.  This is called following the light.

What is a good man but a bad man’s teacher?

What is a bad man but a good man’s job?

 If the teacher is not respected and the student not cared for,

confusion will arise, however clever one is.

This is the great secret.

Lao Tzu: “When the unformed is formed into objects, its original qualities are lost. If you preserve your original qualities, you can govern anything. Truly, the best governor governs least.”

Dyer: “Let the river of life flow through you. As a valley beneath heaven, you’re a fertile place of grace where everything is received and allowed.”

Dyer: Observe the moon and oceans and migrating whales and you’ll see life unfolding naturally. “The Tao is a natural law, not some controlling force that’s manipulating you… It simply allows all of creation to reveal itself with perfect timing.”

Dyer: “So whenever you’re in a mode that propels you in the direction of using force, you’ve lost sight of your connection to the Tao… It has also been called wu-wei, or ‘not forcing’, which means to take the line of least resistance.”

Dyer: “Remember any force will produce a counterforce, so if you insist on escalating devastation, your weapons will be turned back upon you.”

Lao Tzu: “Every victory is a funeral; when you win a war you celebrate by mourning.”

Dyer: “As you move in the direction of ‘loosening the leash’, so to speak, you’ll become keenly aware of the exhilaration of the Tao flowing through you.”

Lao Tzu: “Mastering others requires force; mastering the self needs strength. If you realize that you have enough, you are truly rich.”

Dyer: “Notice how often you attempt to use verbal force to convince others to listen to you. Remind yourself to remain quiet and send loving energy.”

Dyer: “When your judgments dominate, the flow of the Tao slows. See how the world truly changes right before your eyes when you sincerely desire that others follow their own life paths.”

Dyer: “Stop equating sensory delight with the Tao-inspired bliss that’s available to you.”

Lao Tzu: Should you want to eliminate something, you must deliberately allow it to flourish. Should you want to take something away, you must deliberately grant it access. The lesson here is called the wisdom of obscurity. The gentle outlasts the strong. The obscure outlasts the obvious.”

Dyer: “This new discipline of resisting your habit to get involved by pausing before interfering will enable you to see how capable everyone truly is when they’re in the energy field of someone who allows rather than dictates.”

Poet Rumi: “Nibble at me. Don’t gulp me down. How often is it you have a guest in your house who can fix everything?”

Dyer: “Let your all-knowing guest [the Tao] fix things while you live naturally.”

Lao Tzu: “When morality is lost, there is ritual. Ritual is the husk of true faith, the beginning of chaos.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson: “It is the condition of Inspiration – marry nature, don’t use her for pleasure.”

Lao Tzu’s 44th verse:

Which means more to you, you or your renown?

Which brings more to you, you or what you own?

I say what you gain is more trouble than what you lose.

Love is the fruit of sacrifice.

Wealth is the fruit of generosity.

A contented man is never disappointed.

He who knows when to stop is preserved from peril,

only thus can you endure long.

Dyer: “If the chase is wearing out your health, stop! If the chase is wreaking havoc on your relationships, stop! If the chase is exhausting you, stop! If the chase is keeping you from enjoying your life, stop!”

Poet Rumi: “You are the truth from foot to brow. Now, what else would you like to know?”

Lao Tzu’s 46th Verse:

When the world has the Way, running horses are retired to till the fields.

When the world lacks the Way, warhorses are bred in the countryside.

There is no greater loss than losing the Tao,

no greater curse than covetousness,

no greater tragedy than discontentment;

the worst of faults is wanting more – always.

Contentment alone is enough.

Indeed, the bliss of eternity can be found in your contentment.

Dyer: “Your heart operates by its natural connection to the Tao, which does nothing but leaves nothing undone.”

Lao Tzu’s 48th verse:

Learning consists of daily accumulating.

The practise of the Tao consists of daily diminishing;

decreasing and decreasing until doing nothing.

When nothing is done, nothing is left undone.

True mastery can be gained by letting things go their own way.

It cannot be gained by interfering.

Dyer: “Notice when you think of others as evil, lazy, dishonest, stupid or ugly. Then affirm: I see myself in this person, and I choose to be in a space of goodness rather than judgment.”

Dyer: The Sanskrit word namaste roughly translates to: “I honour the place in you where we are all one.”

Lao Tzu: “Realize your essence and you will witness the end without ending.”

Dyer: “Living by hidden virtue allows you to get the most out of life because it means seeing that it’s your choice and responsibility to decide how you’re going to spend it. Not living by hidden virtue, on the other hand, ensures that your role in a family or culture is assigned at birth (or even conception), with predetermined expectations about how you should and will function. Your days become filled with stressful attempts to please those to whom you’re biologically related. You experience the nagging self-criticism that you’re disappointing a parent.”

Helen Keller: “Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature.”

Dyer: “Let go of preconceptions and ideas, and experience how things really are.”

Lao Tzu: “Keep your mouth shut, guard the senses, and life is ever full. Open your mouth, always be busy, and life is beyond hope. Seeing the small is called clarity; keeping flexible is called strength.”

Dyer: “Use fewer words; commit yourself to long periods of listening; and eliminate giving advice, meddling and participating in gossip.”

Lao Tzu: “I say this pomp at the expense of others is like the boasting of thieves after a looting.”

Lao Tzu: “Close your mouth, cordon off your senses, blunt your sharpness, untie your knots, soften your glare, settle your dust.”

Dyer: “Realize your inclination to stir up dust when you feel a diatribe about to erupt on how others ought to be behaving. Stop in the middle of pounding the table or angrily screaming and just observe yourself. Since your emotions are like waves in the ocean, learn to watch them return to the vast, calm all-knowing source.”

Lao Tzu: “Bad fortune is what good fortune leans on; good fortune is what bad fortune hides in. Who knows the ultimate end of this process?”

Lao Tzu: “Thus the master is content to serve as an example and not to impose his will. He is pointed but does not pierce; he straightens but does not disrupt; he illuminates but does not dazzle.”

Shakespeare, Henry VI: “My crown is in my heart, not on my head; Not deck’d with diamonds and Indian stones, Nor to be seen. My crown is call’d content; A crown it is that seldom kings enjoy.”

Lao Tzu: “Governing a large country is like frying a small fish. You spoil it with too much poking.”

Dyer: “When negativity feels like it’s directed right at you, retreat to that place of kindness and love within and deflect that energy… these outbursts are easily shifted when you stay centered… knowing that none of this is about you.”

Dyer: “Look at the ocean: It’s the most powerful force on the planet because it stays lower than the streams… As the rivers flow downward to become one with it, the sea is able to be the great reservoir of all under heaven.”

Dyer: “By staying calm and under the radar, others will ultimately flow to you, joining with you in creating friendship and trust… you’ll radiate energy and strength… Think of yourself as the ocean and stay low enough to allow others to stream down to you and create a “great country” wherever you elect to settle.”

Lao Tzu: “Reward bitterness with care. See simplicity in the complicated. Achieve greatness in little things. Take on difficulties while they are still easy; do great things while they are still small… The sage always confronts difficulties, he never experiences them.”

Dyer: When even the tiniest waterways are left alone, they uniquely carve out a path that leads them to the sea. And the great ocean never lords its greatness and power over the streams and rivers: it doesn’t rise above them and demand devotion… The sea knows instinctively that the streams and rivers will naturally gravitate toward that which stays low.”

Dyer: “No one should feel the heaviness of your directions or be hurt by your instructions… Find occasions to stifle your learned habit of interfering and telling others what to do, and allow them to flow to you instead.”

Lao Tzu: “I have three treasures, which I hold fast and watch closely. The first is mercy. The second is frugality. The third is humility. From mercy comes courage. From frugality comes generosity. From humility comes leadership.”

Dyer: “Declare that you’re not going to fight. Don’t fight colds, illnesses, or even serious inflictions. Don’t fight with family members, or against political opinions. Don’t fight addictions, and most important, don’t fight yourself. Instead, make the shift to living by cooperating.”

Dyer: “Stay humble; don’t interfere; respect your creative genius, as well as that of others; and, above all, return to your invisible Source and shed your troublesome ego while you’re still alive and incarnated as one of [Lao Tzu’s] 10,000 things.’

Dyer: “Get sick of being weakened by destructive pursuits.”

Lao Tzu’s 72nd Verse:

When people lack a sense of awe, there will be disaster.

When people do not fear worldly power, a greater power will arrive.

Do not limit the view of yourself.

Do not despise the conditions of your birth.

Do not resist the natural course of your life.

In this way you will never weary of this world.

Therefore, the sage knows himself;

loves himself but does not exalt himself.

He prefers what is within to what is without.

Dyer: “The reason it’s crucial to have a sense of awe is because it helps loosen the ego’s hold on your thinking.”

Dyer: “Even if you think that what you want is late, in reality it is all on time.” It is on “Divine Time.”

Dyer: “Don’t see caution as a weakness or an expression of fear. Instead, view it as a way to step back and allow events to unfold naturally. Bravery is a fine quality, but reckless bravery – that is, where you rush in without thinking – is a sure way to invite disaster.”

Dyer: “Trust those you’re entrusted to lead. Don’t continually monitor those you’re responsible for raising or supervising; instead, develop a trust in your less experienced charges. They must be allowed to use their own minds, for they also have a destiny to fulfill that’s orchestrated by the Tao.”

Lao Tzu: “A tree that cannot bend will crack in the wind. The hard and stiff will be broken; the soft and supple will prevail.”

Dyer: “The creator of life is always giving, never taking. So change the way you think about scarcity and resentment, and begin to truly feel the question How may I serve? The Universe will seem to respond, Finally, you got it.”

Lao Tzu: “To the giver comes the fullness of life; to the taker, just an empty hand.”

Lao Tzu’s 80th Verse:

Imagine a small country with few people.

They have weapons and do not employ them;

they enjoy the labor of their hands

and do not waste time

inventing laborsaving machines.

They take death seriously

and do not travel far.

Since they dearly love their homes, they are not interested in travel.

Although they have boats and carriages,

no one uses them.

They are content with healthy food,

pleased with useful clothing,

satisfied in snug homes,

and protective of their way of life.

Although they live within sight of their neighbours, and crowing cocks

and barking dogs can be heard

across the way,

they leave each other in peace

while they grow old and die.

Dyer: “You can know what the modern world offers in the way of information and technology, while at the same time being aware of the areas of your life where you want to keep things basic. Recognise when you’re feeling the effects of information overload, too many gadgets, or overcomplication, and switch to a natural environment that please you.”

Voltaire: “Paradise is where I am.”

Dyer: “Find joy and solace in the simple. Change your view to see the pleasure in what you have, where you’re located, and who you are. Cultivate your utopia by feeing the Tao in every cubic inch of space.”

Wishes Fulfilled, Hay House, 2013.

The crux of this book is that it’s not enough to think positive thoughts in order to manifest our heart’s desire – we must feel and act as if our dreams have already come true.

We must assume the feeling of success in every fibre of our being and cast aside doubts that flicker in our mind, and pay no heed to people who say we are shooting too high. The best way to do this, apparently, is to refrain from sharing your highest dreams with people who may shatter your confidence.

That is to say, your imagination is a sacred place where the miracles need to occur before they can manifest.

Now I’ve read other books on the subject, such as Conversations with God, but the instructions in Dyer’s book are more succinct and detailed than anything else I’ve come across. He also offers personal examples for the reader to consider, without forcing any explanations.

Something I’ve been personally reflecting on is the difference in the career ambitions and achievements of my private school friends versus public school. Without exception, those who went to the best girls’ school in my city have ended up being Architects, Entrepreneurs, Fashion Designers, Marketing Execs, etc.

I strongly believe this is because high achievement was normalised in their hearts and minds at a young age, and so it felt natural for them to become financially successful; whereas for others it may require a stretch of the imagination.

Their achievement may also be a reflection of the people around them – “self-actualized” parents are likely to assume their children will be successful, while parents who never fulfilled their own dreams may be sceptical of their children’s ability and usher them toward a more realistic goal.

But back to Dyer: the final chapter of his book lists the criteria you ought to meet in order for your positive thoughts to shape your life. In essence, this silences anybody who would like to think a few prayers at night can summon a winning lottery ticket, while at heart they still identify as poor.

1. Does the outcome of your wish feel natural?

This allows for the fact that we can’t all wish our way into being a pro ball player; it needs to feel right for our body and natural gifts.

2. Am I willing to command my I AM presence?

“I AM THAT I AM” is the Biblical name for God. You need to acknowledge that you are a part of God – as much as any rock, lion, or planet – and then call on “the power that creates worlds” (an Esther-Hicks/Abraham phrase) to deliver the goods, just as it enables a caterpillar to turn into a butterfly, or a flower to open at dawn.

By prefacing your wishes with “I AM…” you are acknowledging that your destiny has already been fulfilled in the eyes of creation. On the other hand, If you preface it with “I will be…” you are stating that it is not so.

Dyer frequently quotes the St Germain Discourses and a favourite phrase of his is: “See here, God! Come forth and take care of this!”

3. Are my wishes in alignment with my highest self?

One should not assume you can call on the power of thinking to harm others, or yourself. You ought to be calling on the power of intention to fulfil a wish that fits with the best, and kindest, version of yourself imaginable.

4. Am I free of judgment, condemnation and criticism?

You cannot assume God, which is equated with Goodness and Love, will step in to deliver your dream if you are full of complaints and contrariness. We ought to shower everything in light, raising up the darkness around us, rather than wallowing in it.

Of course, there are allowances for constructive criticism or a pro-active complaint, by which one intends to better any given situation. But moaning for the sake of camaraderie won’t fly.

5. Do I pray as if my prayers are already realized?

As mentioned, you are not praying for something that you hope will be done. You are offering thanks in advance for what you know has already been delivered.

6. Is my mind open to infinite possibilities?

This question really cuts to the core obstacle many of us might face in believing our dreams can come true: we get stuck on the “How?”

But consider there are unfathomable events occurring in the universe every second – we are starting to think there may be more universes through the eye of a black hole, whilst quantum physics continues to astound – and so why should the natural power of synchronicity and the scientific laws of attraction not work wonders in our own lives?

You don’t need to understand it for it to be so.

7. Am I willing to meditate to the I AM THAT I AM frequencies?

This is possibly the most esoteric of the questions, which suggests we listen to the sound of some tuning forks set to a code in sync with the Kabbalah tradition of assigning numbers to words and phrases.

I figure if you’re happy to go along with the rest of it, then why not give the CD a go too? Or there are other interesting looking clips on YouTube that point in the healing sounds direction.

I Can See Clearly Now, 2013, Hay House.

This is a memoir and a nice place to start because I got an overview of his life but also his work. It’s told chronologically but doesn’t include every detail along the way; instead it focuses on key moments that, with the benefit of hindsight, he sees greatly impacted the person he was to become. There might be three such moments in one year and then none for five years.

A big theme is the synchronicity (or coincidence to non-believers) of when certain people entered his life, and how events transpired.

I found out his early work was based in mainstream psychology and he moved naturally (was called!) into spiritual work later on. His doctorate was inspired by Maslow‘s Hierachy of Needs, but Dyer believed many (all!) people could become self-actualized, whereas Maslow thought it was possible for only a select few.

Eventually Dyer began a private counselling practise. He was not in favour of delving into people’s past but rather focussed on changing their thinking. He was inspired by Dr. Albert Ellis who found many people’s problems and neuroses were based on the following false assumptions:

• I must perform well to be approved of by any significant others in my life.
• I must be treated fairly, and if not, then it is a catastrophe and I simply could not bear it.
• Conditions must go my way, and if they don’t, then it is horrible and I will be distressed and unable to bear it.

In other words: “I must do well. You must treat me well. The world must be what I want.” Dr. Ellis neatly called this mode of thinking “musterbation”. On the other hand, a healthy person would believe: “We are responsible for the way we feel, and have within us the capacity to change the way we view the events in our lives.”

Fast track many years and Dyer’s focus was on living in accordance with your highest self in order to achieve your true life goals, or Dharma. To do this, he recommended the following:

• Banish the doubt.
• Shut down the internal dialogue (here I think of the movie Inside Out in which the Train of Thought drives round and round the brain picking up and dropping off random passengers – and I think of stopping that train).
• Cultivate the witness (if you’re unfamiliar with the witness, it’s the concept that your higher self sits quietly within you at all times, just watching you run around like a maniac, at the dictates of your capricious and often negative mind).
• Free the higher self from the ego (as above: ideally you would stay aligned with your inner self and be able to tap into better advice from another realm).

As a fellow writer, I also liked reading about his first publishing deal, forays into marketing and self-publicity. Though happy to get a deal, Dyer soon realised the firm had little faith that his book would be a best-seller and so printed only a small run, with no allocation of a marketing budget.

In response, Dyer did a couple of things which fit with the philosophy of “Think Globally, Act Locally”.

First, he approached a tiny radio station, gave them a copy of his book and said he’d be happy to speak if a slot cropped up. Inevitably – if you believe in synchronicity – the radio had a guest cancel last-minute and they so they called on Dyer. From there he landed a spot as a call-in host, answering people’s queries all night long.

Secondly, he bought up large numbers of his own books – without telling his publisher, of course – and so they were forced to do reprint after reprint and start taking him seriously. Meanwhile, Dyer sold the books himself at the popular weekly night he’d been hosting in a school hall, in his capacity as a common-sense, straight-talking psychologist.

He also sold handfuls of copies to local bookstores on consignment – and then paid for his own a national tour, during which he again approached radio stations. On air, he would mention the stores where his books would be available, thanks again to his own efforts.

I read plenty of spiritual/self-development books in my teens and twenties but don’t remember coming upon Dyer until the day of his death when a friend posted on Facebook: “Wow – Dr. Wayne Dyer and Oliver Sacks moving on on the same day.”

I Googled both and then my mum sent me a link to Dyer’s movie The Shift, which I watched and liked and felt had extra credibility because Portia De Rossi was a co-star and I’m a huge fan of Ellen. Later, I found out Dyer was the celebrant at their wedding!

Then I decided to catch up on a friend’s Facebook feed and saw she was signed up for daily Dyer quotes; one of them mentioned that his books were heavily discounted on Amazon for the month (perhaps in honour of his death).

I bought 10 on the spot and plan to read all 41. I’ll document my findings a la Julie and Julia. Currently living in Saudi Arabia and seeking a new direction for me and my fiancee back home, some of Dyer’s ideas may be familiar but his voice is fresh and kindly – just what the doctor ordered!

I’ll write all the reviews in this one post, above each other – so this intro will end up being at the bottom.

Bibliography from Wikipedia

Non-fiction books

• Your Erroneous Zones
• Pulling Your Own Strings
• The Sky’s the Limit
• Gifts from Eykis
• What Do You Really Want For Your Children
• Happy Holidays
• Everyday Wisdom 5
• You’ll See It When You Believe It
• Real Magic
• Your Sacred Self
• A Promise is a Promise (with Marcelene Dyer)
• Manifest Your Destiny
• Wisdom of the Ages
• There’s a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem
• 10 Secrets for Success and Inner Peace
• The Power of Intention 7
• Inspiration 8
• Being in Balance 4
• Change Your Thoughts – Change Your Life 3
• Don’t Die with Your Music Still in You (with Serena Dyer)
• Getting in the Gap 6
• The Incredible Force
• Living the Wisdom of the Tao 
• My Greatest Teacher (with Lynn Lauber)
• Staying on the Path
• The Shift
• Excuses Begone 9
• Wishes Fulfilled 2
• I Can See Clearly Now 1

Children’s books

• I Am (with Kristina Tracy)
• Incredible You! (with Kristina Tracy)
• It’s Not What You’ve Got! (with Kristina Tracy)
• No Excuses! (with Kristina Tracy)
• Unstoppable Me! (with Kristina Tracy)